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There does seem to have been a fall out between the Milton Keynes consortium and with Franchise chairman Charles Koppel and they are now supposedly leading opposing bids. But the one thing you know for certain is to believe nothing they tell you, it is hardly likely to be the truth.
Koppel has gone racing round the country looking for a venue and according to sources he has contacted Luton (the latest big joke in football), Northampton and Rushden & Diamonds regarding a two year ground share. Hopefully they won’t get one.
Needless to say The Football League have said nothing throughout all this but it is time they told them to disappear and run with a 23 team Division One next season.
Archaeologists have finally retrieved the flint tools from under the old South Stand at Norwich, these tools are from the Mesolithic Age. The club are desperate for work to continue on the new stand though, Delia is opening yet another new restaurant in there.
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At least these two clubs know the rules but Preston don’t. After three years in Division One both Gillingham and Walsall are removing terracing from their grounds. North End, apparently oblivious to it all, have done no such thing and have only just learned that the terracing in front of the Pavilion Stand can no longer be used -–unless they are relegated that is.
Preston are the first club to announce prices for their first ever game in the Carling Cup, drawn last week. For the visit of Notts County it will be £10 adults and £5 concessions in all parts of Deepdale. Well done to PNE for that.
Sky announced their first group of matches for clubs in the Nationwide League. They never show bias towards the bigger clubs do they? Sunderland who have the biggest stadium in the Nationwide League and will surely attract the biggest crowds in the Nationwide League will be shown live on Sky three times in the first two weeks of the season, twice in the league and once in the Cup.
To be fair though all but five (or four) teams from our division will have appeared at least once by the end of September. Those to miss out are Coventry, Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Wigan whilst Sky have clearly opted not to include any Franchise games.
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It has been a quiet week but there is some transfer activity to report and the Clarets have been leading the way with three new players arriving in the last week in Mo Camara, Lee Roche and Brian Jensen. That’s three more foreigners for Stan’s squad from Guinea, Bolton and Denmark. And if anyone questions that Bolton is in this country they should take a look at Sam Allardyce’s squad.
Derby have been busy too and have signed Crewe’s Dave Walton along with Ian Taylor who was released by Aston Villa. I’m not so sure I am looking forward to seeing us play against Taylor, I still recall his superb performance for Port Vale against us in 1993 when he destroyed us with Vale winning 3-0.
Having completed the signing of Bruce Dyer Watford will also sign Jimmy Davis on a long term loan from Manchester United. The youngster has just signed a new three year deal with United.
Dyer by the way is now happy to be back at Vicarage Road after firstly suggesting he would have preferred to stop at Barnsley. With the goings on at Oakwell who in their right mind would choose to stay there.
Elsewhere it is looking more and more likely that Crewe’s Rob Hulse will move to Cardiff after the clubs agreed a deal whilst Alan Pardew is all set to unveil the right hand sided player he has been chasing, Scott Murray from Bristol City. The two clubs have agreed a £650,000 deal and Murray is now in talks with Reading.
That should bring to an end any speculation that Glen Little could be Reading bound on a permanent basis. Pardew said some weeks ago that Little was NOT a target although some wouldn’t believe it.
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Dean Windass has finally secured a move away from Warnock and will sign for Bradford City again whilst the other Warnock, Stephen, could now end up at Crewe on loan rather than at Coventry.
A couple of departures. Leicester have signed Riccardo Scimeca from Nottingham Forest and Preston’s Joe O’Neill (Matt's brother) has joined Bury on loan for the season.
And to Delilah. Yes it reminds us all of either Tom Jones or Stoke City. So taken with the song the Welsh Rugby Union fans have adopted it. Member of Parliament Helen Mary Jones however wants it banned because it glorifies domestic violence.
"Delilah is the story of domestic murder from a man's point of view," said Jones.
"He tries to justify knifing Delilah because of her infidelity and even asks for forgiveness - but to many woman that is offensive, particularly to victims of domestic violence."
And finally well done Alastair Campbell – a Claret through and through. During a heated debate on Channel 4 news last Friday Campbell he was discussing the paper issued by the BBC.
"Excuse me, that letter is about as robust as Blackburn Rovers wall when they played Trelleborgs," said Campbell. Now who gives a damn about his politics when he is wearing a Claret & Blue tie and making statements like that.